How to Invoice as a CPA / Accountant in Washington

How to invoice as a cpa / accountant in Washington: WA sales tax 6.50% (applies to services), late fees capped at 1.5%/mo under Wash. Rev. Code §19.52.020. Step-by-step guide with a free template.

State sales tax
6.5%
Late fee cap
1.5%/mo
Net terms
30 days
Deposit
50%
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1. Washington-specific invoice requirements

  • Sales tax line: 6.50% state rate. Services billed to WA customers must include sales tax. State 6.5%; many services taxable. Combined commonly 8.5-10.5%.
  • Late-fee cap: Washington statute Wash. Rev. Code §19.52.020 caps interest on unpaid invoices at 1.5% per month. Spell out the rate in writing on every invoice and in your contract — courts won't enforce undisclosed fees.
  • Right-to-cancel notice: Customers in Washington get 72-hour cancellation rights on certain home-services contracts. Disclose this in your terms.

2. CPA / Accountant line items + standard terms

Every cpa / accountant invoice in Washington should itemize work clearly. Standard cpa / accountants use Net 30 terms with a 50% deposit required upfront.

  • Tax return — individual — billed by flat.
  • Tax return — business — billed by flat.
  • Bookkeeping monthly — billed by flat.
  • Hourly advisory — billed by hour (~$235 default).

3. CPA / Accountant licensing in Washington

CPA license required for attest services and the CPA designation. EAs licensed federally to represent before IRS.

4. Send and follow up

Send the invoice the same day work completes. Use software that records open events and offers a one-click online payment so you don't need to chase a check by mail. Washington customers expect digital payment options today — accepting card and ACH typically reduces days-to-paid by 30–50%.

Average invoice
$1,850
State
WA
Net terms
30 days
Deposit
50%

Washington metro guides

Metro-specific guides include the combined sales-tax rate and local pricing benchmarks.

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